Shutter structure



D. HITE Feb. 5, 1946.

I v SHUTTER STRUCTURE I Filed Sept. 1, 1944 v 26; 1El 22 20 [20y 15.5..

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7 SHUTTER STRUCTURE r Filedsept. 1, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 YT v3.5;- T35- T 1am- SHUTTER STRUCTURE Feb. 5, 1946. D. l. HlTE Filed Sept. 1, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet S Patented Feb. 5, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHUTTER STRUCTURE Daniel 1. Rita, West Columbia, 5.0. Application September 1, 1944, Serial No. 552,344

'7 Claims. My invention relates to 'a-shutter structure; An important object of the invention is to'provide a shutter structure embodying louvers which may be closed to exclude the rain, air or the like and shifted to positions for providing proper ventilation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shutter structure having louvers which may ing the same separated,

be moved to completely opened positions to provide maximum ventilation or to partly open positions to provide ventilation while preventing rain or the like passing into the room.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide end-holders for the louvers which are preferably formed of glass and which will permit of the proper contacting relation of the louvers when they are closed.

A further object of theinvention is to provide end holders which are clamped to the ends of the louver and form a rain and air tight joint with the louver.

A further object of the invention is to provide an end-holder having packing to engage the louver and also having I packing to engage the frame to form a rain and air tight joint .therewith.

A further object of the invention is to provide means to move the louvers in unison to opened and closed'positions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In accompanying drawings forming a partof this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, viewed from the inner side, of a shutter structure embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an inner side elevation of one endholder complete, with the louver held therein,

Figure 4 is a similar view with the inner strap removed,

Figure 5 is a similar view with all parts removed excepting the outer strap and spacing strip,

Figure 6 is an edge elevation of the outer strap and spacing strip, showing the same separated,

Figure 7 is .an elevation of the outer side of the same end-holder,

Figure 8 is a similar view near strap removed,. V

Figure 9 is a similar view with all parts rewith the cuter, or

Figure 11 is a transverse section taken on line of Figure 3,

Figure 12 is a similar view taken on line |2| 2 of Figure 3,

Figure 13 is a horizontal section taken on line |3-|3 of Figure 3,

Figure 14 is an exploded perspective view of one of the end-holder's and associated elements, Figure 15 is an enlarged section taken on line |5| 5 of Figure 1, showing the louvers open, and,

In the drawings, wherein for'the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 20 designates a frame, shown as rectangular and including vertical sides 2|, a top 22, and bottom 23. Arranged adjacent to the top 22 is a strip 24 having a recess or.

groove 25. A strip 26 is disposed at the bottom 23, having a groove or recess 21.

Disposed within the frame 20 are louvers 2B, which are preferably formed of glass. These glass louvers may be transparent or they may be colored ortranslucent. They may be of any desired width and any suitable number of louvers may be used in connection with the frame 2|. The frame may be of the construction shown or it maybe a window case, End-holders 29 and 39- inner face and near its lower end with a horizontal flange 33. Disposed upon the inner face of the outer strap or clamp-member 3| is a spacing strip 34, which is rigid and may be formed of metal, plastics or the like. The spacing strip 34 is providediat its opposite ends and upon its oppositefaces with transverse recesses 35. Arranged upon the inner face of the spacing strip 34 is an inner rigid strap or clamp-member 36, which may be formed of metal, plastics or the like. At its upper end, the strap or clamp member 36 has a horizontal flange 31, upon its outer face. The

.flange 31 is spaced from the upper end of the strap 36, as shown. The strap or clamp-member 36 is provided approximately equidistantly spaced from its opposite ends with a cylindrically curved hub portion 38 which projects outwardly. The .rigid straps or clamp-members 3| and 36 are in transverse alignment and the hub-portions 32 and 38 are opposed to form a hub. The straps or clamp-members 3| and 36 are longitudinally staggeredso that the' lower end of the strap 3| and spacing strip-34 extends beyond the lower end of the strap 36 while the upper end of the strap 36 and spacing strip 34 extends beyond the strap 3| i The faces of the recesses 35 of the spacing strip 34 are flush with the faces ofthe flanges 33 and be mounted within the case. The numeral 63 designates stationary stops, arranged to' engage the end-holders when the louvers are shifted to the closed positions.

7 As more clearly shown in Figure 2, thelouvers have been shifted to the partly opened inclined position and will thereby permit of the proper ventilation Without liability of rain or'the like entering the room. When the louvers are shifted to the closed position, Figure 16, the lower end a of one end-holder overlaps with the upper end of the next end-holder. The flange 3'I'near the upper end of the lower end-holder will'be arranged beneath the lower end of the inner strap 31, as shown. The spacing strip 34 retains the straps .or clamp-members 3| and 36 spaced and. this spacing strip is in turn spaced from the oppoe 'site edges of the straps or clamp-members 3| and 36, providing grooves 31 and 38, as shown; The groove 37 receives and holds a packing strip 39, having a hub-portion 46 to enter recesses 4| and 42. The packing 'strip 39 projects laterally beyond the groove 31 and engages with the adja-' cent side 2| to form a tight joint, to prevent the passage of rain or air. The packing strip 39 has recesses 43, at its opposite ends and'upon its opposite faces to register with recesses 35,

as shown. 7 This packing strip'39 maybe formed of any suitable material, such as felt, rubber, asbestos, or the like. The grooves 38 receives one end of the louver 28, having a packing strip 44 folded about such end. This packing strip 44 is f U,-shaped in cross-sectionand is arranged within the groove 38, and terminatesat the inner ends of the recesses 35, short of the longitudinal edges .of the louver 29, leaving uncovered portions of the same, as-shown. 'The straps or clamp-members- 3| and 36 have transverse openings 45,130 receive bolts 46 also passing through openings 41 in the spacing strip 34.: Thesebolts serve to draw 7 the straps or clamp' rnembers 3| and 36 together, clamping the packing strip 39 in groove 36 and the end of the louver 28 in the groove 38 through 7' the medium of the packing strip 44.

Means are provided to. pivotally support each 7 endiholder at a point equidistantly spaced from 36 of the next upper end-holder and the upper end of'the lower strap 36 will overlap the lower i end of the next upper strap 36. The flange 33 j near the lowerend of the strap 3| of the upper end-holder will be arranged above'the upper end of the strap 3| of the next lower end-holder while the lower end. of the upper strap. 3| will overlap the upper end of the next lower strap 3|. The upper louver 28 will overlap and engage the next lower louver 28 and there will .be a firm contact the ends of the end-holder. This meanscom-fv prises a pin 48 extending through an opening 49 in the hub'40 and extending into a semi-cylindrical recess 58, formed upon the inner face of the strap or clamp-member 3|; This pin alsoextends into a semi-cylindrical recess 5| formed inthe spacing strip 34. The pin 48 is preferably clamped to the strap 3| and strip 34 while its outer end is pivotally-mounted in a bearing 52, carried by the side 2|.

The straps or clamp members 36 of the end! holders 36 are provided with apertured knuckles 53, receiving pins 54, connected with a link 55.

The link causes the several louvers to move in unison.

Pivotally connected with one pin 54 is a connecting rod 56, pivotallyconnected with a crank 51, rigidly mounted upon a horizontal.

rock shaft 58. Thisrock shaft is journaled in bearings 59 and is turned by' a worm wheel 69, driven by a worm 6|, which is turned by a hand wheel 62. It is thus seen that by turning the hand wheel 62, the louvers 28 may be shifted to opened ,or closed positions and will be locked in theselected adjustedposition. Any other suitable means may be employed to move and hold the louvers. The operating means may also be concealed, and when the shutter structure embodiesa-window case the operating means would overlap the face of the groove 21 and the lower end of the outer clamp-member 3| will overlap the strip 26.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes-in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without depart- V ing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I. claim is:

1. In a shutter structure, a frame having sides, a plurality of louvers for the frame, end-holders for each louver, each end-holder comprising out-' er and inner elongated clamp-members, a spac-. ing strip between the clamp-members, one end of the outer clamp-member extending beyond the corresponding end of the inner. clamp member and the opposite end of the innerclamp member extending beyond the 'corresponding'end of the outer clamp member, the free projecting endsof the outer and inner clamp members having transverse flanges, the spacing strip being spaced from the longitudinal edges of the outer and inner clamp members for providing outer and inner longitudinal grooves closed at their ends by the transverse flanges, means to draw the outer and inner. clamp members together, a packing strip arranged within the outer groove and projecting laterally beyond the same to contact withthe side of the frame, a packing strip applied to the louver adjacent to its vertical edge, such vertical edge being positioned Within the inner groove, the last named packing strip terminating with the ends of the inner and outer clamp unem bers which terminate short of the other ends of such clam members, a pivot pin engagingeach end-holder and secured to the side of the frame,

and meansto move the'louvers In ashutter-structure,afranre havingsides a plurality of louvers for the frame, end-holders for each louver, each end-holder comprising outer and inner elongated clamping members, a spacing strip between the clamping members, one end of the outer clamping member extending beyond the corresponding end of the inner clamping-member and the opposite end of the inner clamping-member extending beyond the corresponding end of the outer clamping-member, the free projecting end portions of the outer and inner lamp-members having transverse 'flanges which are spaced from the ends of such end portions, the spacing strip being spaced from the longitudinal edges of the outer and inner clampmembers for providing outer and inner longitudinal grooves closed at their ends by the transverse flanges, means to draw the outer and inner clamp members together, a packing strip arranged within the outer groove to contact with the side of the frame, one end of the louver extending into the inner groove, a pivot pin engaging each endholder and secured to the side of the frame, and means to move the louvers, the arrangement being such that the lower end of the upper outer clamp-member is adapted to overlap the upper end of the next lower outer clamp-member and the upper end of the lower inner clamp-member is adapted to overlap the lower end of the next upper inner clamp-member when the louvers are closed.

3. In a shutter structure, a frame having sides, a plurality of louvers for the frame, end-holders for each louver, each end-holder comprising outer and inner elongated clamp-members, a spacing strip between the clamp-members, the clamp-members being longitudinally staggered so that the outer clamp-member has a lower free end-portion and the inner clamp-member has an upper free end portion, the free end-portions having transverse flanges spaced inwardly from their ends, the spacing strip being disposed inwardly of the transverse flanges and spaced from the inner longitudinal edges of the outer and inner clamp-members for providing an inner longitudinal groove for receiving the end of the louver, packing means arranged between the inner and outer clamp members and the end of the louver, means to draw the inner and outer clamp members together, a pivot pin engaging each end-holder and secured to' the side of the frame, and means to move the louvers.

4. In a shutter structure, a louver, end-holders for the louver, each end-holder comprising outer and inner elongated clamp-members, the"clampmembers being longitudinally staggered so that the outer clamp-member has a free end-portion and the inner clamp-member has a free endportion, the free end-portions having transverse flanges spaced from their ends, a spacing strip arranged between the clamp-members and spaced from their longitudinal edges to provide inner and outer longitudinal grooves, packing held within the outer longitudinal groove, the inner groove receiving the end of the louver, means connecting the outer and inner clamp members, and a pin connected with each end-holder.

5. In a shutter structure, an end-holder comprising opposed outer and inner clamp-members which are longitudinally staggered to provide the outer clamp-member with a free end-portion and the inner clamp-member with a free end-portion, the free end-portions having transverse flanges which are spaced from their ends, a spacing strip arranged between the outer and inner clamp members and spaced from their longitudinal edges to provide an outer longitudinal groove to receive packing and an inner longitudinal groove to receive the end of a louver, means to draw the outer and inner clamp-members together, and a pivot pin engaging the end-holder.

6. In a shutter structure, an end-holder com prising outer and inner clamp-members, a spacing strip arranged between the clamp-members and spaced from their longitudinal edges to provide outer and inner longitudinal grooves, the outer groove receiving packing and the inner groove receiving the end of the louver, the spacing strip having an opening, a pin extending into the opening, and means to draw the outer and inner clamping members together.

7. In a shutter structure, a louver, end-holders for the louver, each end-holder comprising outer and inner elongated clamp-members, the clampmembers being longitudinally staggered so that the outer clamp-member has a free end-portion extending beyond the inner clamp-member and ,the inner clamp-member has a free end-portion extending beyond the outer clamp-member, a spacing strip arranged between the clampmembers and spaced from their longitudinal edges to provide inner and outer longitudinal grooves, compressible packing held within the outer longitudinal groove, the inner longitudinal groove receiving the end of the louver, compressible packing within the inner longitudinal groove adjacent to the end of the louver, means to draw the outer and inner clamp-members together, and

a pin connected with each end-holder.

DANIEL I. HITE. 

